


Lay Me Down, Bring Me Up

by LyriaBlackFrost



Series: Beneath Our Scars [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Angst, Depression, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Minor Violence, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-10 13:16:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18661174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LyriaBlackFrost/pseuds/LyriaBlackFrost
Summary: Ryuji would probably have died in that explosion if Akechi hadn’t saved him, only to disappear soon after, with the words “don’t tell them”.Despite keeping his word, Ryuji can’t help but worry about his former companion, and with reason: after the events that took place in Shido’s palace, Akechi feels lost, and with no motivation to keep on living, or even to leave the small motel room where he is hiding from the world.At first, those persistent attempts to get closer to Akechi’s heart seem to lead Ryuji nowhere. However, as time passes, their connection also changes, bringing the two of them close in a way neither could ever have expected.





	1. A Familiar Face

**Author's Note:**

> Watch me as I fall for _yet_ another rarepair... I blame Ryuji, for being such a sweet boyfriend no matter who his partner is.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this fic! :)

When Ryuji opened his eyes, there was someone there with him. He could feel a hand on his back, carefully laying him on the ground, before his hazy vision regained focus, and the familiar face became clear before him.

“ _Akechi…?”_ he thought.

Akechi looked at him for a moment, sighing in apparent relief.

“Seems like I made it in time,” he said.

Without thinking much, Ryuji reached for him, grabbing the sleeve of his shirt.

“I thought you…”

He ran out of breath before he could finish his phrase, but the light smile on Akechi’s face made it clear that he understood.

“Not so easily,” he said.

Ryuji’s mind seemed to be working in slow-motion. There were many questions he wanted to ask, but, before he could, he heard some distant, familiar voices. Akechi looked at their direction, then back at Ryuji.

“Don’t tell them.”

Saying that, he got up, quickly disappearing from sight.

“Wait…”

Ryuji tried to go after him, but, as soon as he raised his head, the whole world seemed to get out of focus, and he fell again on his back with a low groan. He felt as if he had just been beaten up by a whole gang, and his head was throbbing painfully. The last thing he remembered was seeing his friends on the life-saving boats, and then… A loud noise? Maybe an explosion? He couldn’t say for sure… He remembered Akira and Ann’s worried faces, and, after that, everything was pure black.

_What had happened to everyone? Were they safe?_

Those questions made Ryuji make a new effort to get up, managing to sit down this time. His head hurt again, and he closed his eyes with a low groan, placing a hand over them.

“Ryuji!”

Akira’s voice made Ryuji turn his head, seeing his friend approaching him with fast steps, half crouching and half falling beside him, placing both hands on his shoulders, giving his face a brief look before pulling him into a hug.

“You’re alive…” he said. “Damn, man… Don’t scare us like that.”

“Aki… What the hell happened?”

Akira moved away from him, looking at his face, tears about to leave his eyes.

“We couldn’t find you anywhere…” he said. “We thought you had died in that explosion… You have no idea how scared we—”

Akira’s voice failed, and he hugged Ryuji again, a small sob leaving his lips. Ryuji placed a hand on his friend’s back, caressing it in a comforting way.

“Well, I’m still kickin’…” he said, then added, after thinking for a second: “Is everyone alright?”

Akira nodded, and Ryuji’s body relaxed. With a relieved smile, he tightened his embrace on Akira, who didn’t move, silently sobbing against his shoulder.

“C’mon, man…” said Ryuji in a low voice. “It’s over now.”

“I know…”

Before either of them could say anything else, the distant sound of voices echoed again. Ann’s was the clearest one, indicating that she wasn’t too far from where they were. Akira dried his tears, taking a deep breath before calling:

“We’re here!”

Seconds later, she was next to them, being soon followed by their other friends. She stood there, staring at Ryuji for a while, with widened eyes and a tear-stained face, then threw her arms around his neck, in an almost suffocating hug, before pinching both his cheeks with an infuriated expression.

“You idiot!” she yelled.

“Ow, ow…” complained Ryuji, holding her hands, moving them away from his face. “C’mon, Ann! I almost died there… Can’t you be a little more gentle?”

“This is what you get for scaring me!”

“It isn’t fair…”

She looked like a crying puffer-fish, and Ryuji couldn’t help but chuckle, both at the sight and the clear affection behind her actions. Without saying anything else, Ann grabbed his arm with both hands, resting her head on his shoulder, like Akira was doing with the other one. The remaining Phantom Thieves crouched close to them, offering him smiles and, in Futaba’s case, patting his head.

“Welcome back to the world of the living!” she said.

“Are you injured anywhere?” asked Makoto, clearly concerned. “Do you need to go to a hospital?”

“Nah, I’m fine…” answered Ryuji. “My head kinda hurts, but that’s all.”

“Did you hit it?” asked Haru. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Yeah, don’t worry.”

“If you say so…” proceeded Makoto. “But if you notice anything wrong, let us know.”

Ryuji agreed with a nod.

“That was a close call,” commented Yusuke. “How did you survive that explosion?”

“No idea…” Ryuji shrugged. “I just woke up here.”

As soon as he said it, Akechi’s face came to his mind. Now that he thought about it, it was too much of a coincidence that he was beside Ryuji when he woke up. From what he was starting to remember, there was no way he would have survived a blast like that.

_Unless someone had taken him out of there_ _…_

The pieces started to fit in. However, he didn’t tell the others about it: he would do as Akechi had asked, at least until he had a chance to properly talk to him.

“As expected from Ryuji…” Morgana’s voice, and a light tap of the cat’s paw against Ryuji’s leg, brought him back from his thoughts. “Talk about dumb luck.”

Ryuji sighed, showing more annoyance at the comment than he actually felt.

“Yeah, yeah…”

To be honest, he was really happy. Of course, he knew his friends liked and cared about him, but seeing them all there, with such clear concern, and making sure he was fine… It just made him feel so warm and loved that he had to make an effort to not start crying like Akira and Ann.

The group took a minute to let their fear fade away, then got up, walking together to the station. Ryuji soon noticed his leg acting up because of the effort he had made to run, and Akira offered him his shoulder as support. Ann also walked close to him, still hugging his arm.

“Does it hurt too much?” she asked.

“Nah, just a little,” answered Ryuji. “I can walk back home.”

“Not on your own,” answered Akira, serious. “I’m going with you.”

“Me too,” said Ann. “I have to make sure you’ll take proper care of your leg.”

Oh, damn… Ryuji loved those two. Usually, he would keep insisting on going alone, and not being a problem to his friends. However, even someone as dense as himself could tell it would only make those two worry even more. Besides, he would probably react the same way if one of them got injured in his place.

“I’m really fine,” he said. “But I guess it isn’t bad to be pampered like this from time to time.”

“Don’t get used to it,” said Ann, twisting her lips. “Really… What would I do if you weren’t around to carry my shopping bags anymore?”

“Yeah,” agreed Akira. “And you couldn’t have died when you still owe me a bowl of ramen.”

Ryuji arched his brow, looking from one of them to the other.

“Are you two for real?” he asked.

“And now you owe me a chocolate crepe too, for all the stress,” added Ann.

“Hey… What about me?” protested Ryuji. “Shouldn’t I be the one getting the free food here?”

“Shut up…” said Akira.

“You have no right to ask for anything after scaring us like that,” said Ann.

They could say those things as much as they wanted to, but the way they both had their arms around Ryuji’s waist, leaning against him, told a different story.

The group soon reached the train station. Akira and Ann did as they said, following Ryuji after the others said their goodbyes. They slowly made their way to his home, always asking him if he was fine, or if he needed a break. Ryuji would never be able to express how much those gestures meant to him, so he stayed quiet, silently smiling to himself.

Ryuji’s mother, Aoi, was surprised to see them there, but her welcoming smile gave place to concern when she noticed her son’s injury. As soon as Ryuji said he had accidentally forced his leg, however, she accepted it: it had become less apparent with time, but, since the Kamoshida incident and the subsequent surgery, he never stopped limping slightly, and any extra effort he made could be enough to result in a whole night of pain.

She brought a painkiller and an ice bag to Ryuji, and, when his friends finally left, she took their place in pampering him, kissing his cheek and insisting that he rested as she made dinner on her own.

So, Ryuji stayed there, lying on his bed, facing the ceiling. Honestly, he was surprised: it was difficult to notice during his daily life how lucky he was to have those people who cared so much about him.

That thought made his chest tighten, and he reached for his cell phone, staring at the Phantom Thieves’ group chat screen for a while. _He_ wasn’t in the group anymore, of course, but, by searching the old messages, he soon found the familiar picture of Akechi. Ryuji took a deep breath, taping it, selecting the option to send a direct message, and, before his hesitation became stronger, he wrote and sent a single, small line.

 

**Ryuji: hey** **…**

 

Not that articulate, but he honestly didn’t know what else to say. He placed his phone beside him, and waited. His mother called him for dinner, and, when he came back there was still no answer. Less hesitant this time, Ryuji sent another message.

 

**Ryuji: u seein this?**

**Ryuji: just wanna know if ur fine**

  
A few more minutes without any answer. He sighed, considering giving up. Maybe Akechi had lost, or broken his phone in the Metaverse, or maybe he had changed numbers after everything that happened following Sae Nijima’s palace. Or maybe he simply didn’t want to talk to Ryuji.

But Ryuji wasn’t the kind that gave up that easily.

 

**Ryuji: plz answer me**

 

Silence again. Ryuji sighed, disappointed, but not surprised. He left the phone on his bed, going to the bathroom, taking a quick shower. Maybe he should try again in the next morning. Akechi could be sleeping, or…

Wait, hadn’t he been shot? What if he was hurt? What if he needed help?

Ryuji quickly left the shower, dashing back to his room, ready to call him this time, already questioning himself what he should do if there was no answer again. Should he tell the others? Or call the police? Or would that put them all in trouble? _Damn_ , at times like those he wished he was as smart as Akira or Makoto…

Before he could even call Akechi, however, the alert of two new messages called his attention. Part of him expected them to be from one of his friends, or the group chat, but, to his surprise, they came from neither.

 

_**Akechi: I** _ _**’m fine, you don’t have any reason to worry.** _

_**Akechi: You didn** _ _**’t tell the others about me, did you?** _

 

Ryuji sighed in relief: that guy was alive, and at least well enough to answer him. A little calmer, he lied on his back again, typing the answer.

 

**Ryuji: no**

**Ryuji: but why?**

  
This time, the answer came quickly.

  
_**Akechi: It**_ _ **’s better like this.**_

  
That wasn’t the most explanatory answer, but Ryuji decided to not insist on the subject for the moment.

  
**Ryuji: what r u gonna do now?**

_**Akechi: Good question** _ _**…** _

_**Akechi: It won** _ _**’t be so easy for someone like me to disappear.** _

_**Akechi: I just can** _ _**’t think of anything.** _

 

Ryuji read those messages a few times. Disappear? Why would he do something like that? It wasn’t like anyone but the Phantom Thieves, and a few of their allies, knew about his connection to Shido and the murders…

Or maybe _they_ were the actual reason behind it.

Ryuji considered his next words for a while, but was still unable to find a proper way to say what he wanted. So, instead, he just typed what was on his mind.

  
**Ryuji: u dont need to hide u know?**

**Ryuji: i mean u did some fucked up shit yeah**

**Ryuji: but u saved us**

**Ryuji: ur not a bad guy**

**Ryuji: u can still be one of us if u want**

 

It took Akechi some time to answer, and part of Ryuji thought he would end the conversation like that, when his phone buzzed again.

  
_**Akechi: It**_ _ **’s not that simple.**_

_**Akechi: Maybe you can forgive me, but I don** _ _**’t think some of your friends would do the same.** _

  
Yeah, of course… It was easy for him to say those things, but, unlike some of his friends, he hadn’t been directly affected by Akechi’s actions. Futaba and Haru had lost family members because of him, and Akira went through some traumatizing shit at the police station after his betrayal… He couldn’t expect them to forgive Akechi that easily — or at all.

Still, it didn’t feel right to just leave the guy alone after all that. It was weird to think about it, but, in a way, he was just another victim of Shido’s ambition. Maybe the biggest of them all.

“Shit…” muttered Ryuji to himself, as he started to type again.

  
**Ryuji: where r u?**

_**Akechi: Why would I tell you that?** _

**Ryuji: cause im worried**

**Ryuji: u were hurt after fightin us**

**Ryuji: and i was too outta it to ask u later if ur fine**

_**Akechi: It was nothing serious.** _

**Ryuji: rly?**

  
No answer, but Ryuji still couldn’t give up on the subject.

  
**Ryuji: r u takin care of urself?**

_**Akechi: Why all these questions?** _

**Ryuji: i said im worried**

  
A long silence again, and they were starting to make Ryuji feel a little frustrated.

  
_**Akechi: You**_ _ **’re an idiot.**_

  
Ryuji frowned at that answer.

  
**Ryuji: whaddya mean by that???**

  
Ryuji waited, and waited… Ten minutes passed without an answer, and while part of him just wanted to go to sleep, he knew he wouldn’t be able to rest with things that way. So, he kept sending those messages, one after the other as the minutes kept running, until the whole screen had nothing but his words on it.

  
**Ryuji: hey** **…**

**Ryuji: dont start ignoring me**

**Ryuji: akechi dont u fuckin stop answerin me**

**Ryuji: im serious** **…**

**Ryuji: i just wanna know if ur ok**

**Ryuji: do u need help?**

**Ryuji: just answer me**

  
He was about to send another one when his phone started buzzing in his hands. Caught by surprise, Ryuji accidentally let it slip through his fingers, hitting his face before he managed to grab it and look at the screen, that informed an incoming call from Akechi. He took it, and could immediately hear his former companion’s low, tired voice on the other side.

“ _You can be really annoying when you want to…”_ he said.

“Yeah… I’ve heard that before,” answered Ryuji, to then change his tone to a more serious one. “Are you really alright?”

“ _I told you I am. Just a few minor injuries.”_

“What kinda injuries?”

“ _Minor ones.”_

Ryuji had to count to ten to not tell the guy to go fuck himself. Akechi didn’t say anything either in the meantime, making a slightly uncomfortable silence grow between them.

“Hey, Akechi—”

Ryuji wasn’t sure what he was about to say, but he didn’t have the chance to, since Akechi soon broke the silence.

“ _I always thought you hated me.”_

This time, he didn’t sound annoyed or sarcastic, but simply curious.

“I did,” admitted Ryuji. “But you saved us, and saved me…”

“ _After I tried to kill you all.”_

It was hard to ignore that point.

“I know, and I won’t forget it,” he answered. “But you did all that ‘cause of that asshole, and still helped us in the end. I just…”

Again, he tried to find a way to say what he wanted, but no right words came to mind. He sighed.

“Look,” he said, “I’m just glad you’re alive, okay? No matter what happened, you didn’t deserve what that guy did to you, so… I’m glad you can start it over.”

Silence.

“Akechi?” called Ryuji.

“ _You’re unbelievable…”_

He hung up after that, and Ryuji frowned at his phone. Had he said something that bad? No matter how he looked at it, his words didn’t seem harmful in any way. But, then again, he was dumb as fuck, so maybe he had offended Akechi without realizing.

At that point, even someone like him knew it would be useless to keep trying to talk, so he placed his phone beside him on the mattress, turning his body to the side and closing his eyes. He was exhausted after everything that had happened that day, so, in just a few minutes, he had already drifted off to the dreamland.

When he woke up in the next morning, his leg was feeling much better. He stretched his body, then reached for his phone, seeing a few new messages there. Most were from the group chat, asking if he was alright and also discussing what they should do next.

But what actually caught his attention was a message from Akechi, sent in the middle of the night: an address, followed by a single line.

  
_**Akechi: If you meant what you said.**_


	2. Under the Weather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryuji gathers his courage and goes see Akechi, who is almost unrecognizable and clearly very distressed.

Ryuji couldn’t pay much attention to class normally, but, after reading Akechi’s message, his whole brain couldn’t think of anything else.

Yeah, he was worried about Akechi, sure… But the idea of going to see him on his own still made him a little uncomfortable. The two previous times he had seen him in person, Akechi had respectively tried to kill him and saved his life. He just didn’t know what he should expect this time.

Even so, when classes were over, instead of inviting one of his friends to hang out, or taking the usual train back home, he made his way to that address, which led him to a small, cheap motel in a quiet district. The place was clearly old, with paint darkened by the time and weather, and an old-fashioned neon sign that flickered constantly, giving out a strong _Silent Hill_ vibe.

Oh, great… He was going to be murdered.

Ignoring that paranoid voice in his head, he entered the place, that was actually pretty tidy on the inside. He talked to the middle-aged receptionist, who made a brief call, then directed him to a room on the second floor. Ryuji went up the stairs, and, despite not actually expecting to get killed or transported to a cursed dimension, he was still nervous.

He reached the room, hesitating a little before knocking. It didn’t take more than a few seconds for the door to open before him, revealing a well-known, but not too friendly face, clearly taken by surprise.

“I wasn’t expecting you to actually come…” admitted Akechi.

Ryuji didn’t know how to answer to that, and part of him was too busy looking at that guy in front of him. To put it in few words, Akechi didn’t look that great: his face was pale, and the dark circles around his eyes made it clear that he didn’t sleep well the previous night — and probably the nights before. There was nothing of his usually impeccable appearance there, the clean uniform giving place to a simple t-shirt and sweatpants, that could be bought in any convenience store, and his hair was tied in a low, messy ponytail. In a way, he was almost unrecognizable.

“I said I was worried,” said Ryuji, finally.

“I suppose…”

For a while, the two just awkwardly stood there, not knowing what to do with that whole situation. Akechi let out a heavy sigh, taking a step back.

“Get inside,” he said.

Ryuji considered giving an excuse and going back to the train station, but, instead, did as Akechi said. The room was small and mostly empty, except for a few plastic bags on the floor and a first-aid kit on the side table.

“How are your injuries?” asked Ryuji, as Akechi closed the door behind them.

“Fine,” he said. “And yours?”

“Yeah, pretty fine too.”

“I see.”

That simple exchange was what it took for silence to fill the room. Even during the time Akechi spent with the group as a Phantom Thief, the two of them had never talked much to each other. If anything, Ryuji had actively avoided it as much as he could, since not only they had close to nothing in common, but also, the thought of getting friendly with someone who caused so much pain to the ones he loved was enough to make him want to break more than a few of Akechi’s bones.

But seeing him as he was now just made him feel… bad. He had been nothing but a tool to Shido that whole time, and, in the end, he too was discarded like he was worth nothing. By his own family. His own father.

He couldn’t even begin to imagine what that guy was going through…

“So,” Akechi’s voice called his attention, “do you have something to say?”

Ryuji didn’t answer immediately, averting his gaze.

“Akechi…” he said, finally. “Why did you save me?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“You want all the reasons, or…?”

Akechi sighed, seeming more tired than annoyed.

“I thought it would even things a little,” he admitted. “Make me feel better about myself.”

“Did it work?”

“Hell if I know…”

Saying that, he walked to the double bed, sitting at the edge of the mattress, crossing his arms, his gaze on the floor. Ryuji glanced around the room again, trying to think of anything to say.

“Did you eat anything?” he asked.

Akechi raised his eyes to him, a little confused.

“What?”

“Food,” repeated Ryuji, with a brief gesture. “Did you eat any food?”

“Not really.”

“Yeah, thought so…”

Saying that, he offered Akechi the plastic bag he had in his hand.

“Take it,” he said. “I bought it on my way here.”

Akechi frowned at his stretched arm, not moving.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Just some take-out…” Ryuji shrugged. “Better than nothin’, I guess.”

Akechi reached for the bag, taking it, glancing at its contents. He twisted his lips, clearly uncomfortable.

“Is this because I saved you?” he asked. “Are you feeling like you owe me anything for that?”

“That’s not it. I mean, I’m glad you did it, but that’s not the reason.”

It was difficult for Ryuji to explain exactly what led him there, so, instead, he chose to change the subject.

“Anyway, why are you hidin’ here?”

“I just don’t feel like being the detective prince right now.”

“Yeah, I can imagine…”

He hesitated a little before asking the next question.

“You sure you don’t want them to know?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Right…”

Akechi didn’t say anything else, and Ryuji didn’t try to prolong that sad excuse of a conversation any longer.

“I should be going now…” he said.

Akechi simply nodded, getting up, following Ryuji to the door, opening it. As soon as Ryuji stepped outside, however, Akechi’s voice made him look over his shoulder.

“Hey…” he said. “If you feel like you owe me anything, just remember it was my fault to begin with. If anything, saving you just made my debt a little smaller.

“Akechi—”

Before he could say anything, Akechi closed the door, and Ryuji just stood there for a moment, staring at it. He wasn’t expecting a friendly reception, or to be thanked for the food he bought, but… Would it hurt to be a little nicer?

He sighed, shaking his head. Well, it was Akechi… And, if that wasn’t enough, the guy clearly wasn’t living his best days.

With that in mind, Ryuji chose not to hold it against him, walking downstairs and back to the train station.

 

* * *

 

Even if someone asked him, Ryuji wouldn’t be able to say why he was back at that old motel on the following day, staring at an incredulous-looking Akechi.

“Why?” was all Akechi said.

As an answer, Ryuji simply showed him the plastic bag he was carrying, which caught his attention.

“You brought food again?” he asked.

“Yeah… Homemade this time. Should taste a little better than the last one.”

Akechi’s disbelief only increased with those words.

“You did it?”

“Why?” Ryuji furrowed his brow. “You think I can’t cook?”

Akechi didn’t answer, just stared at him, as if contemplating if he should accept that meal or just shut the door on Ryuji’s face again.

“C’mon,” said Ryuji, “just try it and see for yourself.”

With a defeated sigh, Akechi let him go inside again. The room was in that same level of emptiness from the day before, and, in an attempt of avoiding that previous awkwardness, Ryuji sat on the edge of the bed, trying to act natural and more at ease than he actually was.

“So,” he said, looking at Akechi, “you gonna eat or what?”

“Do I have to do it now?”

“Yeah. My pride is on the line, and I should take the container back home too.”

Akechi didn’t seem too happy with the idea, but ended up sitting on the bed, considerably far from Ryuji, taking the container from that plastic bag. Ryuji watched with some expectancy as he started to eat, his expression going from annoyance to a light surprise.

“It’s not bad…” he said.

Ryuji smiled, victorious.

“See? But you better start to get some food for yourself too… You can’t just skip meals like that.”

Akechi let out a heavy sigh.

“I just don’t feel like going out.”

“I see. Hm…” Ryuji thought for a moment. “Is there anythin’ you’d like me to bring you next time?”

That question made Akechi frown at him.

“Are you planning to come again?”

“Why? Is that a problem?”

“I told you, you don’t owe me anything.”

“Yeah, I know,” Ryuji shrugged. “But it isn’t really a big deal. I have to cook lunch for me and my mom, anyway. Making a little more for you isn’t a problem.”

Akechi lowered his eyes back to that container, and, without saying anything else, continued to eat. When he finished, he placed it beside him, on the bed.

“It’s been a long time since I last ate homemade food,” he said.

“Is that so?”

“It was good.”

Ryuji smiled to himself.

“So, anythin’ you want for next time?” he asked. “Just don’t ask me anythin’ fancy.”

“Not really.”

“You sure?”

Akechi nodded. Ryuji reached for the empty container, placing it inside the plastic bag again, then inside his bag.

“You mind if I open the window a little?” he asked. “It’s kinda stuffy in here.”

“Do whatever you want.”

That constant indifference to everything bothered Ryuji more than he would have expected. He couldn’t tell the reason at first, but then it came to him that, in a way, he was acting the same way as Akira after he came back from the police station, and his supposed death. He wouldn’t sleep or eat properly, and, if Ryuji wasn’t around to force him out of the bed, he would probably spend the whole day there. More than once, he had seen his friend breaking down, and, even now, weeks after everything had happened, at times he would still call Ryuji in the middle of the night, to talk about anything that could take his mind away from his bad thoughts. It was ironic that now it was Akechi, the one responsible for all that, who was in such a situation.

Thinking about that made Ryuji question if what he was doing was right: in a way, Akechi was the one who had brought it all upon himself. He was a victim of Shido too, of course, but, in the end, it had been his choice to kill all those people, and to betray the ones who tried to think of him as a friend. But, at the same time, it just felt wrong to leave him there, like that…

With the window open, fresh air started to enter the room. Ryuji looked outside, to the silent, empty streets. The sky had a bright-orange tone that preceded the evening, and, with Akira still partially on his mind, Ryuji wondered what his friends were doing at that moment.

“Are you really fine?” asked Ryuji after a while, still looking outside. “Being alone here, ‘n all that?”

“Yes. I just need some time.”

That answer made him think, turning to face Akechi.

“Is it bad that I’m coming here?” he asked.

Akechi raised his eyes, looking at him, taking a moment to answer.

“I’m… not really sure,” he admitted in a low voice. “I wasn’t expecting anyone to come here. But, then again, no one was supposed to know where I am.”

Ryuji nodded, looking outside again. Before he could think of anything else to say, Akechi’s voice called his attention.

“Why are you coming here?” he asked. “You know you don’t have to.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Why, then?”

Ryuji lowered his eyes, trying to find an answer, which came more easily than he expected.

“’Cause you’re hurting,” he said. “People can do some stupid shit when they’re feelin' bad, so… I don’t really wanna leave you alone now.”

Akechi scoffed at that answer.

“What? You think I’ll hang myself, or anything like that?” he asked in a mocking tone.

Ryuji stared at him, serious.

“I think you’ll keep all the bad stuff in your head, and it’ll just make you feel worse every time.”

“And why do you think you coming here will be better than leaving me alone?” asked Akechi. “We’re not friends, we could barely stand each other when we were in the same group. I don’t see why this would be good for either of us.”

Those words made his chest sting a little.

“I… don’t know,” he admitted. “I just wanted to do something to help.”

He lowered his eyes to the floor, realizing Akechi’s words had some reason to them: wasn’t he just forcing himself upon that guy? Maybe an unwanted presence like him only made it harder for Akechi to recover… Such thought made Ryuji feel ashamed of his own impulsive actions.

“But maybe I’m not the best person for this…” he added in a mutter, more to himself than to Akechi.

Yes, he should have known… He had never been the most sensible person when it came to the feelings of others. He was rude, and spoke without thinking, and, looking back, had been an asshole to his own friends without even realizing. When Yusuke was still struggling with Madarame’s abuse, Ryuji tried to forcibly pull him away from it, which had only made things worse for all of them. When Morgana was feeling down, he had been too dense to notice the cat’s pain, and said some bad things to him. Those, and many other things that only hurt those around him… Even when he had good intentions, in the end, that was all he was able to do.

“Sorry.”

Saying that, Ryuji reached for his bag, placing it over his shoulder, walking to the door.

“Sakamoto…”

Akechi’s voice made him stop, glancing at him over his shoulder. Akechi hesitated for just a moment, before proceeding.

“If it’s fine to you, I’d like something sweet next time,” he said. “Cake, or something like that.”

Ryuji needed a moment to understand the meaning behind those words, widening his eyes when he finally did. But, instead of simply letting his surprise show like that, his mind ran to find a way to conceal it.

“Are you askin’ me to bake you a whole fuckin’ cake?” he asked.

“You’re the one who asked me if I wanted anything.”

Ryuji forced a long sigh, but, when he spoke again, he couldn’t stop a small smile from taking his lips.

“Fine…” he said. “I’ll bring you a cake. But you better keep your expectations low, ‘cause I’m not that used to makin’ sweet stuff.”

Actually, it had been a long time since he had last baked anything, so, when he tried to think of something he could do, nothing came to mind. But his mother probably knew some easy recipe for him to try… He would try asking her when he got home.

“I guess that’s why you’re his best friend.”

Akechi’s voice brought Ryuji back from his thoughts. He looked at him, who had a light smile on his face.

“What?” he asked.

“If I had someone like you with me, maybe things would be different now.”

There was a hint of sadness in his voice. Ryuji considered his words for a moment.

“Things can still be different, y’know?” he said.

“No, they can’t.”

Akechi lowered his gaze to the floor.

“They can’t,” he repeated in a lower voice.

“Akechi,” Ryuji took a step in his direction. “As long as you’re alive, you can still change. But no one can do that for you.”

“And what’s the point?”

“The point is so you can keep livin’, instead of hidin’, and blamin’ yourself.”

A low, humorless laugh left Akechi’s lips.

“That’s harsh…” he said.

“That’s what you need to hear,” proceeded Ryuji. “’Cause it’s easy to just accept that you fucked up, the hard part is going out there and doin’ what you need to do to make things right again. And, you know what? You can struggle alone if you want to, but, if you need help, then…”

He made a brief pause, organizing his thoughts.

“I know I’m not that good at this, but… I really wanna help you, okay?”

“I can see that.”

To Ryuji’s surprise, his answer wasn’t sarcastic or bitter. Akechi took a deep breath, looking at him.

“If you don’t bring my cake next time, I won’t let you in,” he said.

Those words made Ryuji laugh.

“Asshole…”

He left the motel soon after, feeling lighter than when he came in. With a light spring on his feet, Ryuji made his way back to the station, still thinking of what kind of cake he should bake.

When he got home, his mother was already there, reading on the couch.

“Welcome home, my dear,” she said. “Is your leg any better?”

“Yeah,” answered Ryuji, kicking the floor with the tip of his foot to show it. “Hey, mom… Can you help me with somethin’?”

“What is it?”

“Well…” how could he explain the situation without giving her too many details? “A friend is kinda feelin’ under the weather these days, so I was thinkin’ I could bake him a cake.”

“A cake?”

She looked at him for a moment, then a wide smile took her lips.

“Of course!” she said. “Let’s do it soon, so we can leave it in the oven as we prepare dinner.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ryuji's self-esteem is lower than mine... Someone give this boy a hug.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	3. Words and Regrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Ryuji starts to think he is finally getting closer to Akechi’s heart, reality proves him wrong.

During his next visit, Akechi just opened the door a little bit, observing him with some suspicion.

“Did you bring my cake?” he asked.

Ryuji chuckled: so, even Akechi could be playful when he wanted to.

“Yeah…” he said. “And it’s so fuckin’ delicious I almost feel bad about givin’ it to you.”

Akechi opened the door, letting him in. Then, he turned to Ryuji, opening his hand. Ryuji searched the plastic bag he carried, and offered him the smaller container, with his dinner.

“Eat your food first,” he said. “You can have the cake later.”

Akechi rolled his eyes.

“You sound like a mother…” he said.

“I dunno what you mean by that, but I’ll take it as a compliment.”

Despite his attitude, Akechi did as he said. When he finally got to the cake, Ryuji could notice the change in his expression.

“It isn’t bad…” he said.

“Isn’t _bad_?” repeated Ryuji. “C’mon, just admit it’s good.”

“Do you need validation that much?”

“That’s not what I meant!”

A subtle smile took Akechi’s lips.

“It _is_ good.”

A feeling of accomplishment overcame Ryuji.

“I knew it!” he lowered his eyes to the container, seeing that almost a third of the cake had already disappeared, as if by magic. “Just don’t eat it all at once, okay? You can keep the container until you finish it.”

Akechi nodded, but Ryuji still had the feeling that dessert wouldn’t last until the next day.

 

* * *

 

It became a habit for Ryuji to go visit Akechi every afternoon, and, when he knew he wouldn’t be able to do it on the following day, he brought a second serving of food for him, as well as some occasional dessert when he looked particularly down on the previous day. And, like that, two weeks went by before he knew it.

“You’re later than usual today,” observed Akechi, as soon as Ryuji arrived.

“I know… We made a trip to Mementos after school.”

“Mementos?”

“Yeah,” he groaned. “And some dumb shit shadow just went and made me all confused… Akira said I fuckin’ punched my own face at some point.”

Akechi blinked at him, before covering his mouth with a hand, unable to hold back a giggle.

“That ain’t funny…” complained Ryuji. “I’m still achin’ everywhere.”

It took Akechi a moment to stop laughing.

“You should just go home at days like this,” he said. “It’s not like I’m your part-time job, after all.”

“Yeah, but if I don’t come, you won’t fuckin’ eat on your own,” Ryuji’s words were interrupted by a long yawn. “Damn, I’m tired…”

Saying that, he lied back on the bed, closing his eyes, covering them with an arm, in an attempt to block the already dim brightness of the room.

“Hey… Don’t go just lying on my bed like that,” said Akechi.

“My bad… Just let me rest a little while you eat, okay?”

Akechi took a few seconds to answer, as if considering it.

“Fine.”

Ryuji relaxed, his exhausted body thanking him for it. It seemed like no more than a minute had passed when he felt Akechi’s hand on his shoulder, shaking him.

“Sakamoto…” he said. “It’s evening already.”

Those words made him jolt up, his back complaining about the sudden movement.

“What…?” he asked.

“You slept for quite a while,” answered Akechi. “Soon the trains will stop.”

“Shit…” he glanced around, a little disoriented, searching for his bag. “Thanks for wakin’ me, dude.”

Akechi observed as he placed the empty container in his bag, then accompanied him to the door.

“You should try to rest tonight,” said Akechi. “You won’t be able to stay awake during class like this.”

“Not that I usually do, anyway…”

Akechi frowned at his words.

“You should care more about your education. Your future is on the line.”

Ryuji stared at Akechi, an amused chuckle leaving his lips.

“Who’s soundin’ like a mom now?”

Akechi opened his mouth, but didn’t answer. Ryuji offered him a wide smile.

“Well, see ya tomorrow!”

Akechi hesitated for a while, before returning the smile.

“See you.”

 

* * *

 

Talking to Akechi became easier as he lowered his guard around Ryuji. Maybe he was simply getting used to his constant presence, but Ryuji liked to think he was slowly getting to trust him, and opening up as a result.

Still, Ryuji found it difficult to find a way to touch that subject he had wanted to address for quite a while.

“Akechi…” he said, hesitating a little. “Don’t you think it’s been too long already?”

Akechi, who was sitting on the bed with his back against the wall, stared at Ryuji, who was at the opposite end of it, sitting on the edge of the mattress.

“What do you mean?” he asked, suspicious.

Ryuji took a deep breath: he could tell that wouldn’t be an easy talk.

“You’ve been in this room for what? Almost a month now?” he asked. “You never even go out of it… You can’t stay like this.”

“I should be the one to decide that.”

“If I let you decide, you’ll just stay here.”

“And why is that your problem?”

“It’s my problem ‘cause it’s not doing you any good.”

He noticed Akechi’s fist closing on the sheets, his body tensing.

“So, what do you suggest?” he asked in a low tone. “That I go back to my old life, and join your little group again?”

“I want you to start livin’ again. And yeah… Even if you ain’t joinin’ us, you should at least talk to—”

“I’m not talking to anyone.”

His tone was dry and firm, not giving any room to discussion, but Ryuji wasn’t willing to end that conversation like that.

“C’mon, Akechi…” he said, a little frustrated. “You know you’re better than this!”

“Am I really? Isn’t that just what you want me to be?”

“Whaddya mean?”

“I mean you should stop trying to fix me already!”

That accusation, as well as his loud voice, made something inside Ryuji snap.

“I’m not tryna fix you, or any shit like that!” he got up from the bed, facing Akechi. “I just care about you, okay? I don’t wanna see you drownin’ yourself in guilt and self-pity for your whole life, when things can be different!”

“And how exactly can they be different?” Akechi stood up as well, staring down at Ryuji. “You really expect me to go back, and pretend nothing ever happened? You really think Kurusu, Sakura, and Okumura will forgive me after what I did to them?”

“I didn’t say that, and they have all the right to never forgive you. But it doesn’t mean you can just keep hidin’ and ignore everythin’ you did!”

“Then, you just want me to keep crawling and begging for others to accept me?”

“I want you to face all the shit you did, so you can finally start to fuckin’ forgive yourself!”

Akechi narrowed his eyes at Ryuji.

“Forgive myself?” he repeated in a bitter tone. “What the fuck are you even talking about?”

“You know what I’m talkin’ about! You keep sayin’ it’s better like this, but the thing is you just don’t have the courage to go there and face them!”

“So what?” a cynical smile took his face. “Sorry to break this out to you, but I’m not as much of a good person as you and your friends are, Sakamoto.”

“I’m not sayin’ that!” retorted Ryuji, impatient. “I’m just sayin’ all this ‘cause I’m tired of seein’ you like this when things could be different!”

A few seconds of silence followed his words, in which they simply stared at each other, neither willing to back down.

“Are you serious right now?” asked Akechi in a cold mutter.

“Why do you have to make things this difficult? You know you can change it… You can still make things right, so why don’t you?”

Akechi gritted his teeth.

“Because I’m a fucking coward, alright?” he yelled. “I’m not like you, or Kurusu, or any of your friends… I survived all this time by not getting close to anyone, but then you decided to worm your way into my life, and…”

He stopped talking, averting his gaze with clear frustration.

“It’s too late to change things now,” he added in a lower voice.

“It isn’t!” insisted Ryuji, taking a step in his direction. “Please, just let me help you…”

Akechi immediately took a step away from him.

“Stop it!” he was yelling again. “I don’t want your help, alright? I just want to be alone!”

“We both know that ain’t true.”

“As if you know me, Sakamoto…” a raspy, humorless laugh left his throat. “What’s this? I let you in a few times, and you already think you can change me?”

“I don’t…”

Ryuji stopped talking, bitting the inside of his lip: was there even a way to go through that thick head of his? He took a deep breath, trying to recompose himself.

“Akechi…” he said in a calm voice. “Please, just listen to me. I’m not tryna change who you are, I just… I just wanna help you.”

“Why? I never asked for your help!”

“’Cause I care about you! How many times do I have to say it until you believe me?”

His answer made Akechi shake his head in disbelief.

“Shut up…” he said. “This is ridiculous.”

“I’m serious,” insisted Ryuji. “Please, just stop pushin’ me away from you.”

“So what? So you can take _his_ place in my life and use me however you please?”

Akechi’s words felt more painful than Ryuji imagined possible, and, for a few seconds, he could only stand there, looking at him, unable to respond.

“You… really think I’d do that?”

That intense anger seemed to dissolve from Akechi’s face, leaving behind only a lost, hurt expression. He lowered his eyes, taking a long time to say a single word.

“Leave.”

Ryuji hoped he had heard that request wrong.

“What?”

“Just leave,” repeated Akechi without looking at him. “I don’t want to see your face anymore.”

“You can’t be serious… There’s no way I can leave with things like this!”

Akechi took another step away from Ryuji, his back now against the wall.

“Leave, now!” he yelled.

“I won’t!”

Akechi’s breath was accelerated, and he hugged his own arms, looking down, suddenly seeming smaller than he was.

“Why can’t you do anything I ask you to?” his voice was still loud, but also trembling. “Why can’t you just leave me alone?”

“’Cause I’m scared of what’ll happen if I do that!”

“Bullshit…”

“I’m serious!”

“Shut up!”

Akechi sat on the floor, his knees bent against his chest, covering his face with both hands.

“I’m so tired of you!” his voice was hoarse from screaming. “So fucking tired!”

Again, his words were painful. Ryuji pressed his lips together, briefly shutting his eyes before crouching beside Akechi, touching his arm.

“Akechi, I—”

Before he could understand what had happened, Ryuji was on the floor, a strong pain on his face. He covered his mouth and nose with his hand, feeling something liquid dripping on his palm. He looked at it, watching in shock the red blood that was still coming out of his nose.

His whole body went cold, and a strong feeling of panic filled his chest at once. He had seen that before… Screams, followed by pain.

_No, no, no, no, no_ _… Not again… Not this again… Please, not this…_

“Shit… Did I hit you?” he heard Akechi’s voice, and a shiver went down his spine. “I didn’t mean to…”

Akechi approached him, placing a hand on Ryuji’s chin, lifting his face so he could look at it.

“You’re bleeding…?” he realized with some surprise.

Ryuji flinched, moving away from that hand.

“Stay away from me…”

Surprised, Akechi retreated.

“Ryuji, I’m—”

“Stay away from me!”

He moved away from Akechi, who stayed in place, with widened eyes. Every single part of his brain screamed at him to get out of that room, to get away from _him_. So he did, getting up, running to the door and out of that place. His legs took him back to the train station. His panicked mind finally started to slow down, and he sat on one of the benches, simply staring at the floor for a while, making an effort just to breathe.

Then, everything seemed to fall apart inside of him. He covered his mouth with a hand, barely muffling a loud sob. The tears soon followed, running through his face.

Their fight… The old memories resurfacing in his mind… His inability to reach Akechi’s heart… His still aching face… The thought he had put an end to whatever connection they had the moment he stepped out of that room. He didn’t know which of those things was worse.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and almost jumped, staring at the person beside him. It was a middle-aged businessman, looking at him with concerned eyes.

“Are you alright, son?” he asked, his eyes on Ryuji’s bloodied face. “Want me to call the police? Or take you to a hospital?”

Ryuji shook his head. His mind, still numb from everything that happened, struggling to find an answer.

“No…,” he said. “I just… I just wanna go home…”

He had both his phone and his wallet in his pockets, so he only realized he had left his bag at the motel when he arrived home.

_Whatever_ … He just couldn’t bring himself to _care_.

Thankfully, Aoi hadn’t arrived yet, to see him in that state. Ryuji used whatever energy he had left to wash his face, then fell on the bed, staying wide awake for a long time, but pretending to be asleep when his mother came to check on him.

If he had no choice but to face those bad memories again, then he’d rather not drag her along.

 

* * *

 

On the next day, when his friends asked him what had happened, Ryuji automatically said he had “walked into a door by accident”. It bothered him how naturally the answer came: old habits really died hard.

But, worse than that, was to think about his fight with Akechi. Now, with a clear head, he could see he had a big chunk of blame on how things had turned out. Akechi told him many times that he didn’t want to go out, and much less to see the Phantom Thieves, and still, he kept pressuring him until he snapped. And also, now it was clear that Akechi never really tried to hit him, but just reacted in an attempt to protect himself from that distressing situation. If anything, he seemed as shocked at what happened as Ryuji did.

Ryuji sighed. He knew he had overreacted, but… After everything he went through at his own home, that defensive reaction became stronger than him, blocking all of his other thoughts, until there was nothing left but the urge to run away. Another _gift_ from his old man that he was less than proud of.

He spent most of his time at school pondering what to do. Yes, he and Akechi had unwillingly hurt each other, and maybe it would be better for both if he just stayed away, but… He didn’t want things to end like that. He knew Akechi would keep neglecting himself if left alone, and that thought was enough to lead him back to that now familiar place. He looked at that flickering neon sign for quite a while, before he could gather the courage to go inside.

When Akechi opened that door, the two simply looked at each other without any word. Ryuji had many things he wanted to say, and he had the feeling it was the same for Akechi. And, yet, nothing came out of their mouths.

“I thought… You wouldn’t come again,” said Akechi, finally.

Ryuji nodded, lowering his gaze.

“Can I come in?” he asked.

Akechi took a step to the side, allowing it.

“You forgot your bag…” he said.

“I know.”

“It’s on the chair,” he indicated it with a gesture, not looking at Ryuji. “That’s why you came back, isn’t it?”

“I wanted to talk to you.”

Akechi kept his gaze away from him, but something changed in his expression as he nodded, closing the door. He didn’t say anything as he walked to the bed, sitting down. Ryuji did the same, needing a moment to organize his thoughts.

“We both went too far yesterday,” he said, finally, keeping his gaze low. “I mean, I was the one who started it. I pushed you too far, and you reacted.”

“I didn’t want to do that.”

“I know. You weren’t even lookin’ at me. Problem is, I don’t deal so well with this kinda thing, so I panicked.”

He felt Akechi shifting a little beside him.

“You shouldn’t have come back,” he said in a serious voice.

“Don’t get me wrong: if you had really aimed at me, I’d never come back here again. But I know I went too far… I shouldn’t have done it.”

He made a pause, trying to find the words.

“I wanna help you. I just wanna do what’s best for you, but… I really have no idea what I’m doing.”

“Me neither.”

Akechi sighed, tired.

“You saw me at my worse,” he said, “and still, you didn’t go away. I keep pushing you, but you still try to help me. I… I just don’t know how to deal with this.”

Ryuji glanced at Akechi, who had his eyes on the floor.

“I won’t try to force you to do anythin’ again,” he said. “But I can’t just let things stay as they are now.”

“I still need some time.”

“Okay.”

This time, Akechi looked at him, meeting his gaze.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked.

“I care about you. I don’t wanna leave you alone, not now.”

Akechi bit the inside of his lip before answering.

“This is ridiculous, but… I’m glad to hear that.”

That answer made Ryuji feel a little relieved. Akechi looked at him for a while longer, as if considering something.

“Can I see your face?” he asked.

Ryuji turned his body a little to the side, facing Akechi, who did the same. He reached for that slightly swollen area, observing it for a while.

“I’m really sorry,” he said.

It was strange to hear such an honest apology coming from those lips.

“I’m sorry too,” answered Ryuji, “for going too far.”

Akechi nodded, then moved over the mattress, getting closer to the middle of the bed with his knees bent, facing the wall, deep in thought.

“I… have a problem,” his voice sounded close to a mutter. “I only realize how important things are to me when I lose them. It was like this with my mother, the Phantom Thieves, and now with you. I was sure I wouldn’t see you again after that, and…”

He stopped talking, a small, humorless laugh leaving his lips.

“I guess I never learn.

Ryuji repeated those words in his mind. He changed his position as well, sitting behind Akechi in that same manner, but facing the opposite side, leaning in his direction until their backs were touching. Part of him expected Akechi to move away, but he didn’t, and Ryuji’s body relaxed a little against him.

“Everythin’ I said before, about you…” he started to say in a slow, calm voice. “I really believe it. You’re better than you think you are.”

This time, Akechi’s low laugh didn’t sound as bitter.

“You really are an idiot.”

His voice was soft, and Ryuji couldn’t hold back a smile. Before he could answer, however, Akechi proceeded.

“Don’t let me hurt you again,” he asked.

“Okay. But don’t let me do it either.”

There was no answer, but Akechi’s body relaxed too, and he leaned his head back, until it rested against Ryuji’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be honest: few things are worse than accidentally hurting someone who just wants to help you (even if not physically). But, at the same time, not many things feel better than knowing someone still cares about you, even after seeing you at your worst.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	4. The Whole World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akechi is slowly opening up to Ryuji, but it doesn’t mean he is getting any easier to understand.

Something changed after that day.

Akechi still refused to leave that place, or to see anyone else, but something was different between the two of them, as if finally being open about their feelings had helped diminish the distance that still existed between them.

Thanks to that newfound closeness, a few days later, Ryuji finally gathered the courage to propose something different.

“Hey, let’s go take a walk.”

Akechi stared at him, in slight disbelief.

“What?” he asked.

“A walk,” repeated Ryuji, indicating the window with a gesture. “It’s pretty nice outside.”

Akechi stared at him with narrowed eyes, as if Ryuji had just personally offended him.

“C’mon…” he insisted. “You can’t just stay in this room for the rest of your life.”

His words made Akechi sigh, averting his gaze.

“I know that…” he said in a low voice.

Ryuji already expected him to be against the idea, but wasn’t willing to give up that easily. Yes, he would give Akechi all the time he needed, but that wasn’t the same as allowing him to lock himself inside that personal bubble, and avoid every single thing that made him slightly uncomfortable. As hard as it could be, he needed to get used again to the idea of… _living_.

“Just five minutes?” he asked.

“I don’t want to,” said Akechi, to then indicate himself with a gesture. “Besides, I can’t go outside looking like a hobo.”

Mental note: that guy needed some new, clean clothes, and maybe a razor. Without thinking much, Ryuji took out his purple jacket, offering it to Akechi.

“Okay… Put this on,” he said.

Akechi stared at the jacket with a furrowed brow.

“Why?”

“Just put it on.”

He didn’t seem too happy with the idea, but ended up taking Ryuji’s jacket, wearing it over his own clothes. It looked _nothing_ like Akechi, and Ryuji giggled at the sight.

“There,” he said, closing the zipper for him. “Not perfect, but way more stylish than before.”

“You call _this_ stylish?” asked Akechi, looking down at himself. “I look like a punk.”

“With that attitude? You sure do.”

Akechi twisted his lips at Ryuji, who simply smiled in response.

“Five minutes?” he repeated.

Akechi rolled his eyes.

“Fine, five minutes,” he said.

And so they left the room together, going downstairs, and then outside.

“Damn, it’s cold…” complained Ryuji, hugging his own arms with a light grimace.

Akechi raised his brow in response.

“Don’t expect me to give your jacket back,” he said.

That answer made Ryuji show a slightly crooked smile.

“See?” he said. “You like it.”

“I just don’t want to look like a homeless person.”

“Sure, sure…”

They walked for a while, close, but not enough for their arms to touch. Akechi kept his eyes low most of the time, his hands on the jacket’s pockets, and, again, Ryuji found some amusement in how different he looked in it.

They ended up walking for more than five minutes, but Ryuji didn’t mention it until Akechi asked to go back.

“You better go take a shower, so you won’t get a cold,” said Ryuji as they got back inside.

Akechi narrowed his eyes at him.

“You’re using this as an excuse to make me take a shower, aren’t you?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Ryuji shrugged. “Now, go there.”

As always, Akechi complained with every gesture possible, but did as he said. He was still far from being “fine”, but Ryuji could already see a difference. It made him happy to know that Akechi was getting better, after all the shit he had been through.

He soon came back from the shower, wearing his same, tragic-looking clothes.

“Gimme your dirty clothes,” said Ryuji. “I’ll wash them for you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“You can’t keep looking like a hobo. It’s making _me_ depressed.”

Akechi considered it for a while, before sighing.

“I’ll do it myself,” he said.

His words surprised Ryuji.

“You will?” he asked.

“Yes, yes…”

“You’re not just sayin’ it to shut me up, are you?”

“I’m not.”

He looked at Akechi for a while, feeling his chest get lighter, a smile taking his lips.

“Okay, then!”

Noticing his gaze, Akechi frowned.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing…” Ryuji shook his head. “Just feelin’ proud of you.”

“Why?”

“You wouldn’t have stepped outta this room a week ago. I’m just happy to see the difference.”

Akechi lowered his eyes, and Ryuji couldn’t tell what was going through his mind.

“That’s not a reason to be happy…” he muttered.

“’Course it is!” insisted Ryuji. “Besides, the happiness is mine, you’ve got no right to tell me if I should feel it or not.”

“You’re a big kid, you know?”

“Am I hearing that from a fuckin’ hobo?”

He was glad to see the shadow of a smile on Akechi’s lips.

“Oh, right,” said Akechi, reaching for Ryuji’s jacket, which he had left on the bed. “Before you forget this…”

“Nah, just stay with it until you get somethin’ usable again,” Ryuji narrowed his eyes. “But you better have those clothes washed soon, or I’ll take them by force next time.”

“That sounded so wrong…”

“Shuddup.”

He reached for his bag, walking to the door, Akechi following him.

“Ah,” he said, a thought suddenly crossing his mind, “is there anythin’ you want me to bring you next—”

Before he could finish his phrase, he felt his back being lightly pressed against the door. He stared at Akechi, who was close to him… _Really_ close.

Ryuji barely had any time to think before Akechi’s lips were on his, their bodies close together. The shock, as well as Akechi’s warmth and the smell of soap temporarily shut his mind down, and he closed his eyes, embracing Akechi’s waist, returning that kiss.

But that spell didn’t take long to fade, and Ryuji instinctively placed his hands on Akechi’s shoulders, moving him away, staring at his face.

“What the hell is going on here?” he asked.

“You think I know?”

He didn’t know what kind of answer he expected, but it was nothing like that one, especially in such a frustrated tone. Akechi furrowed his brow, averting his gaze.

“I was sure you’d give up sooner or later…” he muttered through his teeth. “But you keep coming here, and annoying me, and making me do things I wouldn’t otherwise… Is it that surprising that my whole world now revolves around you?”

As soon as he said those words, Akechi took a step back, lowering his eyes, covering his mouth with a hand.

“Hey…” started to say Ryuji.

But he didn’t find the words, simply staring at Akechi, who had his gaze on the floor, an unreadable expression on his face.

“I wasn’t supposed to do that,” his voice was muffled by his own hand. “Or say that. Fuck…”

Ryuji couldn’t react for a long while, his mind seeming to be, at the same time, racing and in slow-motion. He opened and closed his mouth a few more times, before something finally left it.

“Just take care of yourself, okay?”

“Okay…” answered Akechi, without looking at him.

Ryuji left the room, and, as soon as he closed the door, everything inside him seemed to start screaming at the same time.

_Fuck_ _… Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck…_

He didn’t know what he was feeling, but his heart was racing, and his head felt light. He stopped in the middle of the way to the station, leaning against a wall, placing his hand over his own lips.

_What had just happened? What the hell did that mean? Did it even mean something? And how did he feel about it? Did he like it? Or was he simply too surprised to think properly?_

His head was too full of thoughts, and Ryuji felt like, if he tried to find the answers to all those questions at that moment, his brain would probably break.

So, he took a deep breath, trying to calm down. There was no way Akechi liked _him_ , right? If anything, that had only happened because Ryuji had been the only person he had interacted for a whole month. He still didn’t know what it meant, but it was far from being anything good.

 

* * *

 

Ryuji couldn’t say if he was anticipating or dreading his next visit to Akechi’s room. His anxiety was so evident that Yuuki and Ann approached him during lunch, with concerned expressions.

“Is anything wrong?” asked Ann. “You look sick.”

He _felt_ sick.

“It’s nothing,” he said. “Just didn’t sleep that well.”

At least that much was true. Honestly, Ryuji wanted nothing more than to talk to his friends about his whole situation, and hear some advice from people who actually had a functional brain. But Akechi had asked him to keep that secret, and Ryuji wasn’t willing to break his promise to him, as bad as it felt to hide such an important thing from the others.

“Are you sure that’s all?” insisted Yuuki. “You’re spacing out a lot… Aren’t you worried about something?”

He shrugged as a response.

“Nah, just the usual,” he said. “My mom is takin’ extra shifts again, and I’m worried she’ll overwork herself.”

Again, it wasn’t exactly a lie, and, this time, his friends accepted his answer.

“It must be hard for her…” said Ann. “But I’m glad she has a caring son to help her.”

That comment made Ryuji’s face feel slightly warm. It was rare for Ann to compliment him so honestly, and it left him speechless.

“C’mon, it’s not such a big deal…” he said, looking away from them.

“You should accept the compliment,” Yuuki offered him a smile. “It’s not always that Ann is feeling this generous.”

She frowned at his comment.

“What do you mean by that?”

Yuuki’s face immediately became bright red.

“I’m very sorry…” he said.

But Ann simply laughed it off. Thankfully, after that, the subject drifted away from Ryuji, and, for the first time, he was glad that Akira wasn’t around to see through his excuses, as he always did. He managed to, at least for a few minutes, keep his worries out of his mind, but, as the classes came to an end, and the time when he usually went to see Akechi got closer, his anxiety gave place to a concealed despair that seemed about to suffocate him. He tried, more than once, to tell himself that there was no reason to feel like that, that whatever had happened on the previous day certainly wouldn’t repeat itself. It didn’t do much to help him calm down, but he still repeated those words in his mind like a mantra, as he automatically made that now familiar route to the motel. By that point, the receptionist already knew him, and let him go upstairs with no more than a nod and a polite smile.

When Akechi opened the door, nothing seemed unusual about how he greeted Ryuji, and it immediately made a wave of relief fill his chest. The first thing he noticed, after relaxing a little, was how Akechi looked different from before, taking a moment to realize why: he had shaved his face and combed his hair, but also…

“Your clothes…” he said.

“I told you, didn’t I?” answered Akechi. “I had the old ones washed, and bought a few new ones too.”

Yes, Ryuji noticed it: a simple, black turtleneck, and jeans. It was still different from the “detective prince” he was used to, but looked much better than his sloppy look from before. His heart felt lighter, and a big smile took his face.

“That’s great!” he said, and then, after searching his bag for a moment, offered Akechi a small container. “Here’s your reward.”

Akechi took it with a curious look.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Chocolate and strawberry tart,” said Ryuji, sounding proud of himself. “It’s kinda ugly, but the taste is good, I swear.”

Akechi didn’t say anything, but Ryuji could notice a subtle glow in his eyes. He smiled to himself.

“But only after—”

“Only after I eat my food,” completed Akechi. “I know. Oh, and don’t forget to take your jacket, I left it on that chair.”

Ryuji did as he said, wearing his jacket, realizing by the nice smell that it had been washed too. Then, as usual, he waited as Akechi ate, absentmindedly playing with his phone. When he finished the food and took a bite of the dessert, however, he couldn’t contain his excitement.

“How is it?” he asked.

“It’s really good.”

“Great!”

He couldn’t deny that answer made him happy. Of course, he had proved that recipe before bringing it to Akechi, and knew how good it tasted. However, hearing that from him was way more satisfying. Akechi observed him through the corner of his eyes, before lowering his gaze to that dessert, smiling lightly.

“My mother used to make sweets for me,” he said in a low voice. “She was really good at it… I think that’s why I like them so much, she got me too used to them when I was a kid.”

Ryuji was taken by bittersweet feeling, imagining a younger Akechi, at a time he was still happy and free from all those worries and regrets.

“She sounds nice,” he said.

“She was.”

There was a brief moment of silence, and Akechi shook his head, as if to push those memories away.

“Sorry, that came out of nowhere,” he said.

“Hey… It’s okay. It’s nice to hear more about you.”

Ryuji meant those words. Akechi kept his eyes low, seeming deep in thought for quite a while, until he finally spoke again.

“If things stay like this, you’ll get me used to them again.”

Ryuji let out a low chuckle at the idea.

“Are you tellin’ me to adopt you?” he asked.

“That would be awkward, considering I’m the older one.”

“Yeah. That, and a thousand other reasons.”

“I guess,” Akechi forced a disappointed sigh. “What a shame…”

“C’mon… You just want me for my sweets.”

“Why else would I?”

“Ow… That was cruel.”

Akechi smiled at him, but soon a slightly awkward silence filled the room. Ryuji desperately tried to think of something to say, but nothing seemed to come to mind, other than what had happened on the previous day. Judging by Akechi’s uncomfortable expression, Ryuji guessed he was thinking about the same thing. Thankfully, he didn’t need to bring up that subject, since Akechi did it first.

“About what I did yesterday…” he made a pause, pressing his lips together before proceeding. “Please, forget about it. My mind was full, and I acted without thinking.”

Ryuji expected those words to make him feel better, but, instead, they were slightly painful.

“Yeah… Me too,” he admitted.

Akechi observed him for a moment.

“Are you bothered by it?” he asked.

“Nah, it’s fine.”

“Good.”

The situation had supposedly been solved, but, for some reason, things still felt a little awkward between them. Maybe it would take time for that feeling to go away, and for things to go back to normal.

“I better go back now,” said Ryuji. “I still wanna go see Akira before I go home.”

“I see.”

But Akechi hesitated before walking to the door with Ryuji. After some consideration, he finally spoke again.

“How is he?”

“Akira?” asked Ryuji. “Bored as fuck, but doing well.”

Akechi nodded, spending another minute in silence.

“You know…” he started to say, but interrupted himself.

“What?”

“Nevermind.”

“C’mon, Akechi…”

Akechi took a deep breath before proceeding, keeping his eyes and voice low.

“Back then, when I was still a regular at the Leblanc, Kurusu and I would spend some time chatting. He was… nice to me.”

He made a pause, and the pain in his face was nothing but sincere.

“I think we could have become friends, if I hadn’t…”

Again, he stopped himself before finishing the phrase, but it was enough for Ryuji to understand what he meant.

“You can still talk to him, y’know,” he said.

Akechi shook his head.

“It’s too late now.”

“But you can still try to—”

“Sakamoto, stop.”

Akechi’s firm voice made Ryuji go silent, averting his gaze.

“Alright…” he answered.

Without saying anything else, they approached the door, but, as soon as Ryuji stepped outside the room, he turned to Akechi with serious eyes.

“Akechi…”

“What?”

He simply stood there for a while, his mouth open, but no words coming out of it. Deep inside he knew, no matter what he said, he wouldn’t be able to change Akechi’s mind. He lowered his eyes, shaking his head with a dull pain in his chest.

“Nevermind.”

Unlike him, Akechi didn’t insist on the subject, and Ryuji left that motel with a strong feeling of frustration.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Akechi and Ryuji are afflicted by ~~love~~ confusion. What are the chances that Akechi slept that night while wearing Ryuji's jacket, I wonder...?
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	5. In Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryuji tries to ignore his growing feelings, which becomes more difficult with each sign of affection that Akechi offers him — and that he fears to be misinterpreting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I already warned with a tag, but I'll do it again just to be sure: this chapter has **implicit** sexual content. If it bothers you in any way, you probably shouldn't read it.

That slight awkwardness persisted for the following two days, but, after that, things started to go back to normal, to which Ryuji was thankful.

“The afternoon is kinda nice…” he said.

Akechi looked at him with some suspicion.

“What do you mean by that?” he asked.

“That maybe it would be a good chance to take the train to—”

“Don’t push your luck, Sakamoto.”

Ryuji sighed. Well, it had been worth a try…

“Okay, no going out today…”

When dealing with Akechi, he had to be careful with how much he insisted on those things. If Akechi offered just a little resistance to the idea, there was a chance he would give in after some insistence. But, if he seemed totally against something, it was better for Ryuji to leave it at that, or he could lose his patience and lock himself inside his personal bubble. It was a little difficult, but he was getting the hang of it.

“Hey…” he said, after some hesitation. “Can you just call me Ryuji? I kinda have the feeling people hate me when they call me Sakamoto.”

Akechi frowned at those words.

“Why is that?” he asked. “It’s just your name.”

“Dunno…” Ryuji shrugged. “I guess it’s ‘cause most people I like call me Ryuji, so, when someone doesn’t…” He tried to find a way to explain it, but soon gave up with a sigh. “Dunno, it’s just strange.”

His answer made an amused smile appear on Akechi’s lips.

“Does that mean you like me?” he asked.

That question made Ryuji raise his brow.

“Uh, yeah?” he said. “Why else would I come here every single day?”

Akechi’s smile dissolved, and he simply stared at Ryuji for a while.

“What?” as soon as Ryuji asked that, he realized his words could be easily misinterpreted. “Wait… I didn’t mean anythin’ weird by that!”

“Ah, yes. I know.”

Akechi averted his gaze, thinking for a second.

“I just wasn’t expecting to hear something like that,” he added.

Ryuji, who thought his growing affection for Akechi was pretty clear, wondered why he had such a surprised reaction. Before he could mention it, however, Akechi spoke again.

“Fine, then,” he said in a defeated tone. “I’ll call you Ryuji. But, if you try to call me Goro, I’ll break your arm.”

Now, _that_ wasn’t a surprise…

“Wow, how unnecessary…” said Ryuji.

“I’m still older than you, you know?”

“Yeah, and I’m feedin’ you, so that makes us even.”

Akechi narrowed his eyes at him, and Ryuji proceeded before that guy could consider kicking him out of his room.

“But don’t worry,” he said with a brief gesture. “I won’t call you that, if you don’t like it.”

To his surprise, Akechi’s answer was a light shrug.

“No, I don’t really mind it, to be honest,” he admitted. “But your reactions to whatever I say are amusing to watch.”

“I really don’t know what you mean by that…”

“Nothing but what I said.”

Ryuji wasn’t so certain of that.

“If you say so…” he said. “But I still feel like you’re secretly laughing at me.”

“I never do that secretly.”

“Yeah, yeah…” Ryuji sighed. “That’s what I get for being nice.”

With an annoyed act, he lied on the bed, looking at the ceiling. Just a little later, the mattress sank next to him, and he saw, with a glance, that Akechi had done the same, just a few inches away from him. For some reason, his heart jumped with that realization, and he stared at the ceiling again. For a while, the only thing disturbing the silence was the sound of their breaths. The seconds seemed to take an eternity to pass.

“This might be coming out of nowhere,” Akechi’s voice finally broke that silence, “but you’re really different from how I first imagined you to be.”

“Yeah?” said Ryuji. “How?”

“I don’t know how to say it… When I first met you, I thought you were an idiot.”

“Okay, then…”

“Well, but that much proved to be true.”

“Can’t you be nice to me for, like, a single second?”

The sound of a low chuckle came from Akechi.

“No, I’m serious…” he proceeded. “It takes an idiot to care so much about someone who caused him nothing but pain.”

He made a pause, and, when he spoke again, his voice was lower.

“I don’t think I’ve felt this close to someone since my mother died.”

Ryuji turned his head, looking at Akechi, who now looked at the ceiling.

“You wanna talk about it?” he asked.

“I don’t really have much to say… I just miss her.”

“I can imagine.”

Akechi stayed silent, thinking.

“I think that’s why I did all that…” he added in a low voice. “I hated that man above everything else, but… At the same time, part of me hoped he would fill the gap left by her.” A brief, humorless laugh left his lips. “It’s a really childish way of thinking, isn’t it?”

“Not really,” answered Ryuji. “I think it’s normal to want to be loved by your family.”

“Even when it’s as bad as that man?”

“Even when it’s as bad as that man.”

Akechi turned his face to Ryuji, his brow furrowed, but with the shadow of a smile on his lips.

“You really _are_ an idiot.”

“Did you have to call me an idiot twice today?” protested Ryuji. “C’mon, man… I’m tryin’ my best here.”

“Saying it just once wouldn’t be enough.”

“Yeah, okay… I’ll grab the shards of my self-esteem on my way out.”

Akechi expression changed, and, this time, he offered Ryuji an actual smile.

“Ryuji…”

Ryuji simply looked at him, waiting for him to speak. Akechi thought for a moment before proceeding.

“I’m not so good with these things, but…” he briefly pressed his lips together, lowering his voice. “You being here means a lot to me.”

Those honest, straightforward words caught Ryuji by surprise.

“Am I helping?” he asked.

“Can’t you tell?”

Ryuji returned his smile, a warm feeling taking his chest.

“That’s good to know.”

They simply looked at each other for a while, until Ryuji realized it, and turned his gaze back to the ceiling, his face and neck getting slightly warm. Suddenly, that single kiss from days before came back to his mind, and he made an effort to think about anything else.

Before he could, however, he felt Akechi’s arm moving beside him, his hand softly brushing against Ryuji’s. Ryuji closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he held Akechi’s hand in his. It was cold, but the feeling of it against his palm was strangely comforting.

“You know…” said Akechi after some time. “I wouldn’t mind if you fell for me.”

“You wouldn’t?”

“Not at all,” a low chuckle. “You could say I’m getting pretty used to being pampered.”

“Yeah, yeah… Should’ve expected.”

Ryuji lightly squeezed Akechi’s hand, who intertwined their fingers. Neither of them said anything else, and Ryuji realized, with some surprise, that the silence that always seemed so uncomfortable to him, at that moment, caused him nothing but a pleasant peace.

When evening approached, Akechi accompanied Ryuji to the door, as usual. They didn’t talk about that moment of quiet intimacy they had shared, and Ryuji, as much as he wanted to understand what was going through Akechi’s mind, also feared asking.

“See you later, then,” said Akechi.

“Seeya.”

But he hesitated before stepping outside of the room. Was he supposed to just leave, like usual? He wasn’t sure… Things were different now, or at least they _felt_ different for Ryuji. So, before he could regret it, he approached Akechi, getting on the tip of his toes, placing a brief kiss on his lips before leaving the room.

Ryuji’s heart seemed to jump with each step he took down those stairs. _Had that been too much? Was he interpreting Akechi_ _’s signs wrong?_

When he considered it better, maybe the only thing that guy needed was some human interaction, some sign of affection, no matter what it was, or who it came from. To simply assume Akechi liked him as well was to ask to have his heart broken.

_Like_ … That thought made his stomach turn. Yes, of course he liked Akechi, but… Since that day, when they kissed, those weird thoughts would just appear in his head, and part of him hoped, despite everything he had said, that it hadn’t ended there. Ryuji knew how stupid and selfish those feelings were, and felt angry at himself: Akechi was already going through a lot… He needed help, not another person to throw their expectations on his shoulders.

He was already two blocks away from the motel when the sound of hasty steps called his attention, followed by a familiar voice.

“Ryuji!”

Akechi stopped in front of him, just looking at his face for a while, before taking another step in his direction, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath.

“Stay here.”

Ryuji couldn’t react for a moment, as his mind absorbed the meaning of those words. Then, carefully, he pulled Akechi close, embracing him. He felt Akechi’s arms closing around him, and, despite all his doubts and fears, he wanted to believe there was nothing but affection behind that gesture. As frustrating as it was, Ryuji simply couldn’t deny it anymore: for better or for worse, he had fallen for Akechi.

They went back upstairs with their hands joined, and, as soon as they closed the door, Akechi pulled him in for a kiss. It started slow and sweet, but soon became passionate and longing, with a bitter hint of anxiousness. Ryuji buried his fingers in Akechi’s hair, while Akechi’s hand slid under his shirt, slowly feeling his abdomen with his fingertips. He freed Ryuji from his jacket, then grabbed the end of his t-shirt, breaking the kiss to take it out. He didn’t give Ryuji the time to think or act, pulling him to the bed, laying him on his back, straddling his hips, taking his own shirt off.

Ryuji’s mind was racing. Part of him knew things were going too fast, but he was too immersed in those feelings, touches, kisses, and the sight of Akechi above him to properly think about it.

“A place like this should have something in the bathroom,” commented Akechi.

It took Ryuji a while to understand what he meant by that. Akechi quickly got out of the bed, entering the bathroom, as Ryuji followed him with his eyes. It didn’t take more than a few seconds, but it was enough for Ryuji’s doubts to resurface.

“Well, this should do,” said Akechi, coming back to the room with some packets of lube and a condom.

He got on the bed again, but, before he could do anything else, Ryuji carefully held his arm.

“Akechi…” he said, looking at him. “Is this really okay?”

To his surprise, Akechi simply smiled, leaning in his direction, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead.

“I should be the one asking you that.”

That gesture, as well as Akechi’s tone, seemed to make Ryuji’s heart melt. Without thinking much, he placed a hand on the back of Akechi’s head, pulling him in for another kiss.

After that, assured that Akechi wanted it as much as himself, Ryuji let go of his worries, touching Akechi’s body, watching as he got rid of the rest of his clothes. His hand slowly went up Akechi’s thigh, loving the feeling of that soft skin against his palm. Akechi moved a little over him, his hips teasingly pressing Ryuji’s lower body, making a surprised groan leave his lips. Akechi showed him a slightly provocative smile.

Ryuji would be lying if he said those following moments hadn’t been awkward in many different ways, or that he knew exactly what he was supposed to do. Still, it was amazing. The feeling of Akechi’s body so close to his, his hands and mouth on his skin, the sound of their low voices and hasty breaths filling that small room… He would never be able to describe it properly, even if he tried to.

They took a shower, somehow fitting together in that tight space, then went back to the bedroom. Akechi lied beside him, and Ryuji absentmindedly caressed the side of his body.

“Did I push things too far?” asked Akechi in a low voice.

“No…?” Ryuji frowned at that question. “Why do you think that?”

“I feel like rushed everything too much.”

“Well, it _did_ go kinda fast.”

Akechi lowered his eyes.

“I acted without thinking again…” he said. “Seems like a common thing when I’m with you.”

“Hey, don’t throw all the blame on me!”

“I didn’t…” as soon as he noticed Ryuji’s playful smile his expression relaxed, and he shook his head. “And I thought I was such a rational person…”

“It’s okay. I mean, we didn’t do anythin’ I didn’t wanna do, so…”

“That’s good to hear.” Akechi offered him a relieved smile, only to twist his lips soon after. “But still… I planned to take things slow, and then sweep you out of your feet when you were least expecting it. But, in the end, I was the one carried away.”

Those words made Ryuji laugh.

“You really thought that?” he asked.

“More times than I want to admit,” answered Akechi with a sigh.

“If it makes you feel better, it _did_ work.”

Ryuji reached for Akechi’s face, gently moving his hair away from his forehead.

“I really wanna be with you, okay?” he said in a low voice.

Akechi looked at him, then moved closer, until their faces were just a few inches away from each other.

“Okay.”

He kissed Ryuji, this time without any haste, placing a hand on the side of his neck, caressing it. When they parted their lips, Akechi kissed his face, making Ryuji smile, feeling warm inside.

“Y’know…” said Ryuji. “If you wanna enjoy some cute, romantic shit, we can still do that.”

“Now that I think about it, that doesn’t sound much like me.”

“Too bad, ‘cause I’m a romantic guy, and I’ll make you embarrassed with all my cheesy stuff.”

Akechi chuckled at the idea.

“I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

Ryuji observed him for a moment, glad he could see that calm, honest expression on his face. However, soon his eyes were drawn by that small, round mark on Akechi’s shoulder: it had already healed, but still had that slightly pinkish tone of a recent injury. Ryuji had noticed it earlier, but, with everything that happened, didn’t have the chance to say anything. Carefully, he reached for it, touching it with his fingertips.

“Is this where he hit you?” he asked.

“If by ‘he’ you mean myself, then yes.”

“I’m glad it healed well.”

Ryuji leaned in his direction, placing a kiss on that scar, feeling Akechi’s hand caressing his hair.

“Speaking of scars…” said Akechi. “How did you get that one?”

“Uh?” he instinctively lowered his gaze to his own leg. “This? Well…” he made a pause, twisting his lips at the memory. “To put it shortly, a teacher broke it.”

“A teacher?” repeated Akechi, furrowing his brow. “You mean the Phantom Thieves’ first target?”

“Yeah, that bastard. But we didn’t go after him ‘cause of this… It’s over a year old by now.”

Akechi twisted his lips at those words.

“I knew that ex-athlete was influent, but… To break a student’s leg without any repercussions…”

“I kinda asked for it, in a way,” Ryuji shrugged. “He wanted an excuse to close the track team, so he made a guy spread some personal stuff to get me angry, and… Well, it worked. I got so mad I jumped at him without thinkin’, and you can imagine what happened next. I can still remember the grin he had in his face… Fuckin’ bastard.”

Akechi narrowed his eyes, still looking at that mark.

“If you want to know my opinion, _he_ is the one who asked for what happened to him.”

Suddenly, the image of Shiho on that roof came to Ryuji’s mind, and he felt a bitter taste in his mouth.

“He sure did,” he whispered.

Those thoughts disturbed him for a while, but he soon shook his head, trying to free his mind again.

“Anyway,” he proceeded, “now you know why I fuckin’ limp everywhere I go.”

Unlike many people, Akechi didn’t try to deny that fact, to which he was thankful.

“What even made you that angry, to begin with?” he asked instead, soon adding: “If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Nah… It was about my old man,” Ryuji averted his gaze. “How he was always beatin’ me and my mom, and shit like that.”

“And was it true?”

“Well, yeah…” he shifted over the mattress, a little uncomfortable. “But he’s gone now. Left home without a second word before I even finished middle-school. Not that I miss him…” he sighed, lowering his voice. “Sometimes I wish I never had a father.”

Silence filled the room, and Ryuji feared he had said something insensitive.

“That sounded kinda cold, didn’t it?” he asked.

“No, I was just thinking it isn’t surprising that you don’t react well to… You know.”

Yes, he knew.

“Besides,” proceeded Akechi, “I can understand that feeling.”

“Yeah… I guess you do,” a low, humorless chuckle escaped Ryuji’s lips. “Damn, we can form a ‘shitty dads’ club.”

“Tell me about it…”

He looked at Akechi, who offered him a light smile, which soon dissolved into a thoughtful expression.

“Do you still think about him?” he asked.

Ryuji nodded.

“Yeah… But usually I can deal with it.”

“Usually,” observed Akechi.

“Some times are harder than others,” he admitted. “But nothin’ I couldn’t deal with on my own.”

He stopped talking, hazy memories of the many times he woke up in the middle of the night, certain that he had heard screams on the kitchen, or someone violently opening his door, just to realize later, with a racing heart and shallow breaths, that the night was as silent and peaceful as it could be.

“I don’t think those things ever go away for good,” he said.

“Probably not.”

They both stayed silent for some time.

“This conversation got kinda depressing…” observed Ryuji.

“It sure did.”

Akechi looked at him, reaching for his head, brushing his hair with his fingers.

“But it’s good to talk about these things with someone.”

Ryuji reached for his hand, bringing it to his lips, kissing his palm before intertwining their fingers.

“Y’know, you can always talk to me,” he said. “About anythin’ you want.”

“I know.”

Akechi’s gaze fell on their joined hands, staying there for a while.

“Tomorrow is Sunday, right?” he asked.

“Yeah. Why?”

“I was thinking…” he made a brief, slightly hesitant pause. “Maybe we could go out a little.”

Ryuji’s heart jumped, and he widened his eyes at that proposal.

“Sounds great!” he said.

Akechi squeezed his hand, then let go of it, getting closer to him, resting his head against Ryuji’s chest. Ryuji absentmindedly caressed his hair, closing his eyes, being soon embraced by a cozy feeling of sleepiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goro, my dear... Why is everything either 1 or 1000 with you?
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	6. A Second Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things probably won’t be easy, but, no matter what happens, they will find a way.

When Ryuji woke up in the next morning, he was surprised to realize he wasn’t in his room, and even more to see Akechi sleeping next to him. It took him a minute to recollect what had happened on the prior night, and, when he did, a feeling similar to electricity ran through his whole body, and he felt his face and neck get warmer.

What was the point in getting embarrassed on the next morning? He had no idea, but, alongside the embarrassment, was also a feeling of giddiness, as if he was floating on a cloud.

He smiled to himself, staying in bed for a little longer, enjoying Akechi’s warmth as much as he could, until he started to move slightly in his arms, a small, sleepy groan leaving his lips.

“’Morning,” said Ryuji in a low voice.

Akechi looked at him, only half-awake.

“What time is it?” he asked.

“No idea… Just a sec.”

Ryuji reached for his phone, seeing a new message there.

“Just a little past seven,” he said, as he opened that message, seeing it was from Ann, and had been sent on the previous night.

  
_**Ann: hey punk**_

_**Ann: u free tomorrow??** _

_**Ann: wanna go see akira w me and yuuki?** _

  
He felt a little guilty about denying that request. He could only imagine how frustrating it was for Akira to be unable to leave his room, and tried to pay him a visit whenever he could to distract him a little. However, if he didn’t take that chance to make Akechi get out of that damn room, he didn’t know when he’d be able to do it again.

 

**Ryuji: sorry** **… kinda busy today**

**Ryuji: will u stay late there?**

**Ryuji: maybe i can go later in the afternoon**

  
Despite the early hour, and Ann’s close to no affinity with mornings, the message came just a little after, surprising Ryuji.

 

_**Ann: yess** _

_**Ann: pajama party** _

_**Ann: i decided now** _

_**Ann: ur invited and u have no choice** _

 

Ryuji chuckled at those words, that sounded so much like his friend. It called Akechi’s attention to him.

“Did something happen?” he asked.

“Nah, just plannin’ to go see Akira later.”

Akechi lowered his eyes.

“Are you sure you should be with me right now?” he asked.

“Yeah, I made plans with you first. And I can still see them after we come back.”

For some reason, Akechi seemed uncomfortable with his answer.

“I don’t know…” he muttered. “I don’t really feel like going out.”

Ryuji faced him, frowning.

“You’re really gonna stand me up on our first date?” he asked. “C’mon, man…”

That phrase made Akechi raise his brow with an amused smile.

“Date?” he repeated, sounding incredulous.

“Did I get it wrong?”

Akechi chuckled, shaking his head.

“Well, I guess it _does_ sound like a date,” he admitted.

“Yeah,” agreed Ryuji in a playful tone, “and who wouldn’t wanna go on a date with me, right?”

“Oh, I wonder…”

Akechi’s deadpan answer made him laugh, and he turned his body to the side, cupping Akechi’s face with his hand, kissing his lips.

“I’ll buy you some sweets if you come,” he said.

He couldn’t tell if it was thanks to that gesture or the dessert, but he managed to break through Akechi’s stubbornness.

“How can I say no to that?”

Saying that, Akechi lowered his gaze, thinking.

“Do you think people will recognize me?”

Ryuji considered it for a moment.

“There’s always a risk…” he admitted. “But you look different from usual, so maybe people will just think it’s another person.

“Maybe…”

Akechi sounded unsure, and Ryuji offered him a smile, indicating his jacket, which he had placed on the chair’s back on the previous night.

“And we can always summon punk Goro again, if you want.”

“Are you serious?”

Ryuji shrugged.

“Well, you look kinda cute in my clothes.”

His words made Akechi frown.

“Do you have no shame?”

“Hey, I didn’t say that in a weird way.”

But he knew that Akechi knew what he meant, and the subtle, amused smile in his face was just further proof of that.

“Fine, give it to me,” he asked.

Ryuji widened his eyes.

“Wait, for real?”

“Consider it a payment for all the sweets you’ll buy for me.”

“Hey… I’m not rich or anythin’, y’know?”

He got out of the bed, taking the jacket, giving it to Akechi, who wore it after changing into a t-shirt and jeans. As he did, Ryuji reached for that neatly folded black turtleneck, that rested on the chair’s assent.

“Well, I’ll borrow this, then,” he said. “Don’t wanna freeze out there.”

“Go ahead.”

He changed into his clothes as well, taking a glimpse of his reflection on the narrow mirror on the wall, finding some enjoyment on how it looked _nothing_ like his usual style.

“How do I look?” he asked, facing Akechi. “Smokin’ hot, ain’t I?”

Akechi smiled with the corner of his lips.

“Yes, you are.”

He wasn’t ready for such a straightforward answer, and was unable to say anything in response. Akechi furrowed his brow, the smile still on his face.

“Why are you getting embarrassed?” he asked. “You’re the one who said it.”

“I was sure you’d destroy me with your sarcasm again.”

“Do you want me to?”

“No, thanks…”

As Ryuji answered, Akechi checked him out without any haste.

“I think I can see the appeal now,” he said.

“I told you.”

Akechi approached him, placing a hand on his chin, tilting it upwards so he could kiss his lips.

“Let’s go, before I change my mind,” he said.

It didn’t take more than a few minutes for them to be ready, leaving the room together. On their way outside, they discussed the possible places they could go to, and decided to visit a small park nearby. It was a nice place, without many people around, so it seemed to be good for someone like Akechi, who wasn’t too willing to visit a more crowded area.

“It’s strange to be outside again…” said Akechi, squinting his eyes. “The light is hurting my eyes.”

“Did you turn into a fuckin’ vampire?”

Akechi groaned in response.

“This is awful…” he said. “I want to go back.”

“Don’t even think about it.”

Ryuji reached for his hood, placing it over his head.

“Here,” he said. “Just keep your eyes low, I’ll guide you.”

“If you make me run into a post…”

“Just trust me a little, okay?”

Akechi didn’t complain anymore, doing as Ryuji had said. Ryuji placed a hand around his waist, bringing him closer, walking slower so he wouldn’t stumble.

They simply walked together for a while, then stopped, sitting side by side on a small brick wall that surrounded a flower bed.

“Everythin’ okay?” asked Ryuji.

“I don’t feel like the sun is trying to kill me anymore, if that’s what you meant.”

“That’s… great?”

Saying that, Ryuji lowered Akechi’s hood, fixing his hair.

“Alright, you look less like a goblin now,” he said.

“You have such a way with your words…”

“Yeah, I know.”

Ryuji moved closer to him, until their arms were touching, then rested his head on Akechi’s shoulder, soon feeling Akechi’s head leaning against his. Ryuji reached for his hand, and they spent some time like that, the sun’s warmth feeling pleasant on that cold weather.

“This place is really quiet,” observed Akechi.

“Yeah,” agreed Ryuji. “Maybe ‘cause it’s still early?”

“Probably.”

Akechi looked around, then squeezed Ryuji’s hand.

“I don’t see they selling sweets anywhere,” he said. “You didn’t lie to me, did you?”

“I didn’t. We can buy something on the way back.”

“I won’t forget it.”

“I know that. And stop trying to break my hand, I got it already!” Ryuji pulled his hand away from Akechi’s, frowning. “Man, what the hell… You’re even worse than Ann with this stuff.”

“It was _your_ idea to begin with,” reminded Akechi.

“Yeah, I forgot I can’t be nice to you.”

“It’s not nice to give me false hopes.”

“Didn’t I say I’ll buy it when we go back?”

“I’m not a very patient person.”

Saying that, Akechi reached for his hand, holding it again. That small, self-contradictory gesture made Ryuji smile.

“Wanna take another walk?” he suggested, his eyes falling on a nearby playground. “Oh, I know… You want me to push you on the swing?”

“You want me to kick your face?”

“Man, you’re so cold…”

But his words had turned Akechi’s attention to the playground as well.

“You know…” he said. “You gave me an idea.”

“What? Changed your mind?”

“Not exactly. Come.”

Unsure of what Akechi was planning, Ryuji followed him to one of the swings.

“Sit there,” said Akechi.

“You serious?”

“Yes,” the corner of Akechi’s lips curved into an amused smile. “Did you ever wish you could fly?”

That question made Ryuji narrow his eyes at him.

“You ain’t gonna send me to space, or anythin’ like that, right?” he asked.

“Of course not,” Akechi placed a hand on his own chin, in a thoughtful expression. “You know, I can’t think of a murder weapon more effective than an old swing. Everyone would think it was an accident.”

That comment was so silly and unexpected that Ryuji couldn’t hold back a giggle.

“Oh, fuck…” he said. “Is this ‘cause of the sweets?”

“Never stay between me and my sweets.”

“Okay, lesson learned.”

Akechi looked at him, raising his brow.

“Just admit you want it,” he said. “You’re a big kid, after all.”

“Fine…” Ryuji shrugged, defeated. “I just hope this shit won’t break on me…”

“Well, let’s test it.”

Ryuji sat on that small, bright-colored swing, waiting for Akechi to start pushing him. But, instead of doing as he said, Akechi placed his arms around Ryuji’s neck, hugging him from behind, resting his chin on the top of his head.

“I thought you were gonna push me,” said Ryuji.

For a few seconds, Akechi stayed silent.

“It’s funny…” he said, finally. “You keep doing everything I ask you to, but still refuses to leave me be.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“No… I’m used to it by now.”

“So, all this was an excuse to hug me?”

“Maybe. I’m pretty shy, after all.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you are…”

To his surprise, there was no comeback from Akechi. He hugged Ryuji a little tighter, and Ryuji placed a hand on his arm, gently caressing it.

“Hey…” he said. “Is somethin’ wrong?”

“I don’t know.”

Ryuji waited as Akechi took a long, deep breath before proceeding.

“You know when you find something good in your life, and… You just feel like you’re going to lose it at any moment?”

“I… yeah.”

“That’s what I’m feeling now,” Akechi lowered his voice. “I really don’t know what I’m doing. And, whenever I try to think of what I should do next, everything in my head gets blank. Since that day, you’ve been the only stable thing in my life, and I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you too.”

Those words made Ryuji’s chest tighten.

“Honestly,” proceeded Akechi, “I didn’t care about what happened to me after that. But now… I don’t know.”

A tired sigh left his lips.

“I’m not making any sense, am I?”

“I think I understand,” said Ryuji. “But that’s why I’m so worried about you isolatin’ yourself like that.”

“I know. I’ve come to rely too much on you… It wasn’t supposed to be like that.”

“No, you can rely on me as much as you want. What bothers me is what you said about me being the only stable thing in your life. That’s…” he made a pause, letting out his breath. “Things just can’t stay like this.”

“Part of me knows you’re right, but… It’s not easy.”

Ryuji simply nodded in response, lowering his eyes to the ground.

“I’m sorry for dragging you into this mess…” added Akechi.

“You didn’t.”

“But I never made a real effort to stop you either. When you started going there to see me… More than once, I considered going away. Just disappearing, so you wouldn’t be able to find me again.”

Those words made Ryuji turn his face to Akechi, widening his eyes.

“Please… don’t do that,” he asked.

“I won’t,” Akechi reassured him. “Even back then, there was a part of me who wanted someone to care about me, despite everything I did. I called you annoying, and told you to go away, but… Every single time, I was glad to see you were back on the next day.” A pause. “I don’t think I’d be able to leave now, even if it was for the best.”

Ryuji turned the swing, until his body was facing Akechi, hugging his waist.

“There’s no way that’d be for the best, you idiot,” he said.

He felt Akechi’s hand on his head, holding him close.

“Hey,” proceeded Ryuji, “I don’t wanna pressure you, but…” he hesitated a little. “How long are you plannin’ to stay in that place?”

“I have enough money to live like this for another few months.”

“Months…?” Ryuji felt as if his heart had dropped. “You can’t stay there for that long.”

“Who knows… This is difficult, you know? People are expecting the ‘detective prince’ to come back, but we both know that was nothing but a farce. I’ve been interpreting that role for so long, to the point no one knows the real me… Maybe not even myself.”

He went silent, and Ryuji could feel his body tensing up a little.

“The truth is, I’m terrified of leaving that room,” he admitted.

“Is there anythin’ I can do?”

“I don’t know. I just have no idea.”

Something on his voice made Ryuji raise his eyes, worried.

“Goro?”

Akechi had his lips pressed together, tears threatening to leave his eyes. The sight surprised Ryuji: that guy wasn’t the kind who showed his own emotions like that.

“Sorry…” said Akechi. “I don’t know why I…”

But Ryuji knew the reason: Akechi had been keeping all those feelings tangled and locked inside his chest, until he reached his limit and everything broke out at once.

“Hey… It’s okay.”

Saying that, Ryuji got up from the swing, gently holding Akechi’s arm, pulling him, making him sit there, kneeling on the ground before him, looking at his face, that was covered by his own hand.

“You can let it out…” proceeded Ryuji. “That’s why I’m here.”

“If I keep complaining, even you will get tired of it.”

“Don’t be stupid…”

Akechi didn’t answer, and Ryuji tried to think of something he could do to help him feel better, without much success.

“Don’t worry,” he said in a low voice, “we’ll find a way.”

“How?”

“I don’t know, but we’ll think of somethin’.”

“But why…? Is there even a point?”

Akechi lowered his hand, looking to the side.

“I’m so tired of all this…”

“Don’t say that,” Ryuji reached for his hands, holding them between his own. “Things’ll get better.”

“But what if they don’t?”

“They will. You came so far already… You’re doing so well.”

A low, bitter laugh left Akechi’s lips.

“How is _this_ well?” he asked.

“You don’t see it ‘cause you’re in pain,” answered Ryuji. “But I do, and I know you’ve changed a lot in such a short time. And you still can do so much more… I can’t take your pain from you, or undo everythin’ that happened, but I’ll be here for you, for as long as you need me.”

“I really don’t understand you… What do you even get out of this?”

“I get the time I spend with you. Our talks, your warmth, even your cruel, sarcastic answers.”

His words made Akechi stare at him for a while.

“Do you like me that much?” he asked in a low voice.

“Yeah,” said Ryuji. “And that’s why I don’t wanna see you hurtin’ anymore.

“But what if I drag you down with me?”

“You won’t. I’ll bring you up again before you have the chance.”

To his surprise, that silly answer made the shadow of a smile cross Akechi’s face.

“Idiot…” he whispered.

“You really can’t be nice to me, can you?”

“If I’m any nicer to you, I won’t be able to let you go anymore.”

“Do _you_ like me that much?”

Akechi’s smile soon faded.

“You’ll never be happy with me,” he said.

“You don’t know that.”

“I can’t even take care of myself… How am I supposed to make someone else happy?”

“Things won’t be like this forever,” Ryuji squeezed his hands a little. “I’m helpin’ you now ‘cause you need it, and, if one day I’m the one needin’ help, you do the same for me.”

Akechi shook his head.

“I don’t know if I can do it…”

He moved his hands away from Ryuji’s, hugging his own arms.

“I got carried away…” he said. “I just did whatever I wanted without thinking. Sorry, but I can’t do this to you… Not more than I already did.”

“Don’t apologize,” said Ryuji. “I wanted to be with you too. I still do.”

“Stop saying it. If this keeps going, I’ll just keep hurting you.”

“I said you’re not—”

“I am!” Akechi raised his voice. “You never noticed it because you think I’m a better person than I actually am!”

Ryuji wanted to protest, but, before he could say anything, Akechi proceeded in a lower, exhausted tone.

“I got comfortable in this hole I dug for myself, because you’re here with me. You keep doing everything you can to get me out of it, but I refuse to… I want to keep you here with me. I’m too scared of facing everything I did, and everyone I hurt, but… As long as you’re here, I won’t need to. I don’t need anything else. I don’t want things to change.”

He closed his eyes, a tired smile on his lips.

“I never cared about how you feel…” he added in a mutter. “I just didn’t want to be alone.”

A long silence followed his words, as Ryuji repeated them in his mind, keeping his eyes on his own hands, that still rested over Akechi’s knees.

“If you never cared, then why are you tellin’ me this now?” he asked.

“Because I love you.”

Those words made Ryuji look at Akechi’s face again, meeting his gaze.

“I thought having you beside me would be enough,” proceeded Akechi. “But, right now, I’m more scared of hurting you than of being alone.”

“So you want me to let you hurt on your own?”

“That would be for the—”

“Stop it!”

Ryuji gritted his teeth, frustrated.

“Stop throwin’ all the blame at yourself!” he yelled. “I was the one who chose to help you, wasn’t I? And, if I felt like you were just draggin’ me down, you can be sure I wouldn’t go back there ever again. But I saw all those small changes, and I know you want to get better, even if you don’t realize it yourself.”

Akechi didn’t answer, and Ryuji took a deep breath, calming himself down before reaching for his arms, carefully taking his hands from there, holding them again.

“Goro… Please, let me help you.”

He didn’t answer, and Ryuji felt his heart shattering at that silence.

“Please,” he repeated in a mutter.

This time, thankfully, he received a low response.

“But how?”

“I don’t know…” Ryuji shook his head. “Anything. Just tell me.”

Akechi needed some time to find an answer.

“I don’t want to go back there,” he said. “I feel like, if I enter that room again, I’ll never find the strength to get out.”

“It’s okay… I can get your things for you. You don’t need to go there.”

“But, even if I leave, what am I supposed to do? Can I really expect others to accept what I did? And what do I do with that whole detective act?”

“Hey, don’t get ahead of yourself. If you try to solve everythin’ at once, of course you’ll get scared. First, let’s get your stuff outta that place, then we’ll think of what to do, one thing at a time.”

Akechi considered it for a moment.

“Alright.”

His answer filled Ryuji’s chest with relief.

“If you don’t wanna go back to your apartment yet, you can spend the night at my home,” he said.

“Weren’t you going to visit Kurusu?”

With everything that happened, he had forgotten about it.

“Ah, yeah…” he said. “Guess I’ll let them know I can’t go.”

“No. Ryuji… Take me there with you.”

That request made him stare at Akechi.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“It’s as you said… I won’t be able to move on until I settle all this.”

Ryuji crossed his arms over Akechi’s lap, resting his cheek on them.

“I hope you know how strong you sound right now.”

“Maybe I got it from you.”

“Flatterer…” he stopped talking, furrowing his brow. “Wait, did Goro Akechi just say somethin’ nice to me?”

“Shut up…”

“And he came back to normal…”

Ryuji sighed, and Akechi placed a hand on his head, absentmindedly playing with his hair.

“Do you think this can work?” asked Akechi after a while. “The two of us.”

Ryuji considered it for a moment.

“We’ll make it work,” he said.

A low, almost relieved chuckle left Akechi’s lips.

“I guess we will.”

 

* * *

 

They did as planned, going back to that motel. While Akechi checked out at the reception, Ryuji went upstairs, taking his few belongings, placing what he could inside his bag, and the rest on the plastic bags he had around. They met again downstairs, leaving that place, going together to the train station, soon embarking the one that would take them to Shibuya.

“I’m going to ruin their day, am I not?” said Akechi in an anxious voice.

Ryuji glanced at him, embracing his waist. He could try to reassure Akechi, but, to be honest, he didn’t know what to expect either.

“No one’ll be disappointed to see you alive,” answered Ryuji. “We never wanted anythin’ bad to happen to you.”

Akechi nodded, bitting the inside of his lip.

“You should probably warn them…” he said after a while.

“Yeah,” agreed Ryuji. “I guess this ain’t the best moment for surprises.”

He took his phone out of his pocket, quickly calling Akira.

“Hey, Aki…”

“ _Hey, handsome!”_ answered Akira in a cheerful tone. _“When are you coming? Ann is being mean to me, and I miss you so much…”_

He sounded like a spoiled kid, and Ryuji couldn’t hold back a fond smile.

“I miss you too, nerd…”

He looked at Akechi, who waited in expectancy.

“Uh, listen…” proceeded Ryuji. “I’m going there right now, but… I have someone with me.”

“ _Who? Yusuke?”_

Akechi lowered his eyes, leaning against Ryuji. His body was tense, but he didn’t try to stop him. Ryuji tightened the embrace on his waist, resting his head on his shoulder.

Things would be fine… Somehow, he knew they would.

And, even if they didn’t, they would still find a way.

“No,” he said, taking a deep breath. “It’s Akechi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before anything, I already have plans for a direct sequel, but, since I'm a _very_ slow writer, I can't give an estimated date yet.
> 
> And it's over... I had so much fun writing this pair! Another beautiful rarepair for me to love and cherish ~~and create content for because they need it...~~
> 
> I hope you liked this story!! Let me know if you had a favorite moment, or if there's anything you'd like to see in future fics of this series! You can find me on [Tumblr](https://lyriaswriting.tumblr.com/) if you wish to talk or make a fic request.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading until here! And, please, let me know your thoughts! ♥


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